Combined mail and order box.



Gg HODLMA1R- GOMINBn MAIL-AND, ORDER 130x.

A'P'PLIAfrIoN rum) AUG. s, 1909.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

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C. HODLMAIR. `GDMBINED MAIL AND ORDER BOX. A APYLIGATIQN `FILED AUG. 9,1909. 4 1,035,347. Patented Aug.\13,'1912. Bumm-SHEET 2.

"l FFICE.

COMBINED MAIL AND" ORDER' BOX'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application 'filed August 9, 1909.

Losser?.

Patented Aug. 1a, 1912.

Serial No. 51 1,9417.

To all wimmelt mag/'concern' Be 1t known that I, CHARLES HonLMarn,

a citizen` of the United States, residing at.

Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Mail and Order`Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and. exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the-same.

This invention relates to improvements in combined mail and order boxes.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, aswill be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front View of the invention;Fig. 2 is a longitudinal'vert-ical sectional viewol'- the same;` Fig. 3is a similar view taken at right angles to and on the line 3-.3 of Fig.Q; looking'toward the :inner side of the door; Fig. 4 is a verticalsectional View, similar to y Fig. 3 on the line 4 4 oiE Fig. 2, lookingtoward the rear wall of the box.

In the embodiment of my invention, I provide a box or casing 1 which maybe ol any suitable size and shape and constructed of any suitablematerial. The box is here shown and'is preferably of rectangular oblongform and constructed from heavy sheet metal. Hingedly connected to thelower edge of the front side of the box is a door 2 having on itsopposite sides inwardly pro jecting flanges 3, which when the door is inclosed `position tit into the box and closely engage the inner walls ofthe opposite sides of the box, as shown. On the front side ot the box,at its upper end, above the door 2, is arranged a looking plate l towhich the Yupper end of the door is locked in closed position. In theplate l is formed a letter receiving slot 5 which is normally closed bya spring actuated cover plate C. Near thc bottom of the box is arrangeda transversely disposed partition 7 below which is arranged an orderholder 8, consisting ot a series of horizontally disposed tubes 9connected at their outer open ends with a tace plate l0, on which, beloweach tube,- is indi cated the name of the order to be placed in thatrespective tube.

On the outer side of the door, at a suitable position, is arranged acard holder l1 with which is adapted to be engaged a name plate orcard,.indicating the ownership of the bon.V In the cover plate at asuitable position, is formed a circular aperture i12 through which isdisplayed the number of the apartment occupied by the owner of the box.On the rear side of the cover over the aperture l2, is pivotally mounteda disk 13 on the face of which is arranged an annular series ot' numbersindicating the,

apartments in the building 'and which are adapted to be brought oppositethe aperture 19. by turninef the disk in one direction or the other.`llic disk 13 is heldin frictional engagementwith the `inner side of thecover by` a flat spring 14 arranged on the pivot stud 15 of the disk andsecured in position by a Cotter pin. or other suitable fastening device.The outer edge of the disk 13 is preferably provided w1th notches tofacilitate the turning of the disk.

In the-upper portion of the door, adjacent to one edge is formed a slot16 behind which, on the inner side of the door, is revolublv mounted anindicating device which is preilierably in the 'form of an oblong block17 having on Aits opposite ends trunnions 13, one ot which pivotallymounted in a bearing lug 19 lormed on the inner side oi the door, whilethe trunnion on the opposite end :is pivotally mounted in the adjacentside 'flange ol the door. On the end of the block, adjacent to the sideflanges of the door, 1s arranged a milled operating wheel- QO whichWorks through a slot 2l in the door, whereby the block may be turnedfrom the outer side ot the box to bring its various sides into aposition opposite to the slot 1G. 0n the different sides of the blockare arranged cards containing notes orsuch information, as lVill be backsoon, Please wait, Call later. The block is preferably engaged by aAflat spring QQ which is secured to the inner side ol the door andserves to hold the block in its adjusted position.

ln the lower portion oiE the door is formed a series ot' side openings23, in the rear of which, on the inner side/bl the door, are arrangedindicating devices in the torni of oblong blocks Q-i which are similarto the block '1.7 and are pivotally mounted on transversely. disposedshafts l5 arranged in the opposite side llanges ot' the door, asshown.Op the ends o'l the blocks Q11-, adjacent to the inner walls o'l" theoppositie `side flanges of the door, are milled operating disks orwheels Q6, the edges of which project :..through slots 27 formed in theadjacent portions of the door, whereby said Wheels and the blocksconnected thereto may be turned from the outer side of the box. Onthe yblocks 24 are arranged cards containing the lname of the merchant ortradesman having dealings with the owner of the box and said names whendisplayed.througlrtheir respective 'slots are to indicate that there isan order-for the tradesman or merchant in the order holder tube 9,bearing h'is name. The

blocksf24c are held against casual rotation, after'being properlyadjusted to display the desired information, by means of flat springs 28arranged, as shown. The adjacently "mounted v4card carrying oblongblocks or members 24, are simila-rly constructed, and as clearly shownin Fig. 2 are rectangular shapedin crossfsection, and secured to themitered edges of the blocks are metal strips 24 the oppositelongitudinal edges of Which` project beyond the flat card receivingsurfaces of said blocks, whereby the cards are removably heldupon thelatter, and further the projecting `rlongitudinal edges of the stripsare adapted for -frictionalx contact with.v

j In -the lower portion of the--door opposite i to the row of orderholding` tubes, is formed an opening 29 through Which accessv is had tothe tubes of the order holder whereby the orders may be inserted orremoved from the n tube. The opening 29isnorm'ally closed by a hingedcover 30 on the out-er side of which thereof, a

IleSSGS.

is preferably placed the word 0rders. In the cover above the slots 27,is' formed a View opening 31, whereby a view of the 1nteriorof the bodyportion of t-he box may be.

had to ascertain Whether or not-mail has been deposited in the box. Theguide'slots and apertures in the cover of the box are covered andprotected by a glass or other transparent plate 32 Which isv arranged`in and secured to the door in any suitable manner. A

From the foregoing description, taken in connection With theaccompanying draW ings, the construction and operat-ion of the invention.Will be readily understood Without lrequiring ya more extended yexplanation.-

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is:

In a ldevice of the character described, a

casing .having View openings in the rfront rpair of \indicatingpolygonal shaped members -lev'olubly mounted in parallel relation in thecasing adjacent to and closing said openings, strips secured to thelongitudinal edges of the said members, and

.projecting beyond thefiat surfacesthereof,

whereby indicating cards may be removably secured to the members', aspring lsecured to the casing and having opposite fiat projecting armsyieldingly contacting -With the longitudinal projecting edges of thestrips and out of contact With the indicating cards carried by therevoluble members, and disks ixedly secured to the latter, said casingbeing provided With a second set of openings through which the disksproject.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 'set my hand in presence o f twoVsubscribing AWitoHARLEs HoDLMArR.

Witnesses:

JOHN F. ENGLE, HUGO ENGEL.

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